Ingfield Manor School

Ingfield Manor School, Ingfield Manor Drive, Five Oaks, Billingshurst, West Sussex, RH14 9AX

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Inspection dates 05/03/2013 to 07/03/2013

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Overall effectiveness Outstanding 1

Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding 1 Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding 1 Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding 1 Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding 1

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The residential provision is outstanding because

● Students are at the centre of practice. All staff work together in a holistic approach to promote the notion of the whole person. Practical and social skills that will be of life-long benefit are taught. Students have their emotional, social, physical, and educational needs met to the highest standards. They make significant progress in their physical mobility, communication and independent living skills. ● There is a strong leadership and management team supported by a highly qualified, experienced and stable staff team. The management team routinely reflect on and evaluate their practice to continually improve it. Families and professionals highly value the way staff care and support students in all aspects of their welfare and development. ● The school is successful at keeping students safe. There is a culture of safety and focusing on what students can do and achieve. This ensures all risks are considered in

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The residential provision is outstanding because

depth without limiting opportunities for students to participate fully in the things they enjoy. Students develop confidence and high self-esteem. Students feel they are safe and well looked after. There is a sense of being part of a family. ● The accommodation is safe, secure and maintained in excellent decorative order. Students are able to personalise their rooms. They enjoy their freedom of movement within spacious surroundings designed to meet their needs. Arrangements for catering and health are of an outstanding standard. ● There is a robust approach to equality and diversity for students, staff and volunteers. Disability is not a barrier to achievement. This is a fully inclusive environment where students develop confidence in their abilities. Students with severe communication difficulties are able to make their views, wishes and feelings known to staff who are attentive to their needs. ● All national minimum standards are met.

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The residential provision is outstanding because

Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 2 of 12

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Compliance with the national minimum standards for residential special schools

The school meets the national minimum standards for residential special schools Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 3 of 12

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Information about this inspection

The school was notified of the inspection three hours before it commenced. Time was spent in the boarding provision over all three days of the inspection. Lunchtime and evening meals were attended as well as activities. Observations were made of the conductive education techniques being applied in practice. Meetings took place with young people, the principal, head of care, care staff, occupational therapist, senior nurse, school manager, catering manager, deputy headteacher, vice chair of governors and a parent. Young people's views were sought through copious time in face-to-face contact and the school council. Parents views were through face-to- face contact and the recent quality assurance programme. Not enough responses were received on ParentView to access the feedback. Records, polices and procedures were scrutinised.

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Inspection team

Keith Riley Lead social care inspector Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 4 of 12

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Information about this school

Ingfield Manor is a day and residential non-maintained special school for children between the ages of three and 19 years. Ingfield Manor provides an educational service to children with neurological motor impairments like cerebral palsy and associated impairments. Many of the children have additional complex medical conditions. Support is delivered through conductive education and the school has a long association with the Peto Institute. Most students board on a 'flexi' basis and have short stays at the school. Others, who board on a weekly basis, return home at weekends. The school is part of Scope.

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What does the school need to do to improve further?

● ensure body maps are incorporated into the safeguarding procedure. Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 5 of 12

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Outcomes for students are outstanding. The strength of this school is the fully inclusive environment and the culture where everyone is involved in the care and support of students. There is a 'level playing field' and all staff work together to provide high quality care for the students. Staff are extremely skilled and attentive to the needs of the students they are caring for. This results in extremely positive outcomes. Students with severe communication difficulties are able to extend their vocabulary or students with physical difficulties are able to significantly increase their mobility. Parents speak most positively about the support and guidance provided for their children. They say, 'All staff listen to my child and tell me what he is saying '. They report their children are now able to coordinate head movements to operate head switches or have improved hand coordination to operate their own wheelchair.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Staff are immediately and readily available to use whatever communication methods students need. There is considerable investment in technology to suit the specific and individual communication needs of each student, as well as using more traditional methods. This means that students are easily able to communicate their needs, wants and opinions. They have a voice in the school and are listened to, for example in the choice of activity or food. There is also a strong commitment to getting the views of students for more formal reviews. Students say they can easily share their needs and wants with all the staff who are supporting them. This is regardless of the level of the communication challenges that they face.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

High quality relationships between students and staff is a particular strength of the school. Students receive excellent pastoral care. All staff clearly understand the specific needs of each student in their care. There is a sensitive and supportive approach to help students deal with some of the difficult emotions that life brings. Students say they share extremely positive relationships with the staff who care for them. The atmosphere is one of mutual trust and respect. There is a sense of being part of a wider family.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Students have their health care needs promoted to an excellent standard. They have ready access to health professionals on site. Expert advice and guidance is readily available at the school with strong links with other external health professionals if necessary. Students enjoy very healthy lifestyles. They are encouraged to eat healthily and take part in various leisure and sport activities.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Students clearly enjoy staying at the school and make considerable progress in all areas of their life. Students say they enjoy staying in the residential accommodation. They say they love it and are safe and happy. They speak extremely positively of the staff and the support that they receive. Students present as having high self-esteem and confidence. They have an opinion and are able to express themselves no matter what challenges they face with communication. Students are respectful of each other, have friends and communicate effectively. Staff teach them the individual methods of communication other students use so they can speak and engage with their friends at the school. The school encourage and support community cohesion. Students integrate well into their local surroundings such as accessing a youth club. Volunteers with particular skills come into the school to provide students with new opportunities such as boccia or

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

drumming. As a result students' feelings of self-worth and achievement grow enormously.

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Outcomes for residential pupils Outstanding

Each student has a plan aimed at developing skills that will be of life-long benefit. Long-term objectives are meticulously broken down into weekly goals. Considerable attention is given to preparing students for the next stage of life. There is a strong focus on students being ‘world ready’ and staff understand that their day-to-day support and the progress that students make will be of benefit to the them for the rest of their lives. This means that students are becoming Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 6 of 12 more independent and develop confidence in their own abilities, for example being able to manage their own time. This, together with careful transition planning, bodes well for future adult life.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The quality of the residential provision is outstanding. Pastoral support offered to students is extremely supportive and nurturing. The team structure is organised such that all education, health and care staff are closely involved with students at all times throughout the day and evening. Students benefit from consistent support, care and guidance in all areas of school life. Professional advice is available for any immediate or on-going matters. Such a holistic approach leads to students receiving an outstanding level of care and maximum opportunity to develop their skills using conductive education principles. Education staff fully understand the individual needs of each student and the boarding experience strongly underpins their educational development.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

There is an excellent approach to health. Students are encouraged and are active participants in keeping themselves as fit and healthy as possible. The school is highly effective in promoting physical health as well as emotional and psychological health. For example, students are able to try new sports with encouragement and guidance from external sports people who are champions in their field. Students are able to choose new and stimulating opportunities such as basketball, fencing or cricket. Good use is made of the grounds and woodland to promote health and develop an appreciation of nature.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Admission to the school is carefully considered to ensure the individual needs of each student can be met. Referrals are assessed in detail and the admission process includes students visiting the school and staying for an evening or overnight visit. Accommodation is available for parents during this time while students are able to experience what it is like to stay in the residential accommodation. Such an approach ensures a full assessment of needs and greatly enhances the matching process, while simultaneously aiding communication with parents/carers. Moves to the school are planned sensitively with the student at the centre of practice.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Students have their placement needs addressed through an excellent process of care planning. Support plans are detailed and take account of the educational, emotional, behavioural, social and physical needs of the student concerned. Such comprehensive plans enable staff to have an excellent knowledge of what approach is needed to ensure students have their specific needs supported and developed. Such planning is implemented consistently in practice. An experienced and stable staff group work closely together to provide continually high standards of care which are underpinned by excellent and meaningful relationships.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Students are provided with excellent opportunities to develop their academic abilities. Education, health and care staff work closely together to ensure there are shared goals in place in respect of educational progress. Education plans contain achievable targets and the effectiveness of the plans are assessed at regular reviews. The school has recently developed a 16 plus provision, which is allowing students to continue on in their learning and development in an environment in which they know, trust and thrive. Good links are maintained outside of the school with a number of students successfully gaining day placements at local colleges to further prepare them for future life.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The school offers a range of excellent extra-curriculum and leisure opportunities to students. These activities provide excellent opportunities for their personal development. Students take part in various indoor activities and outdoor activities in the school grounds. They access a local youth club and have opportunities to go on residential trips where a range of new and stimulating activities are available. As a result students have been able to gain invaluable experience and life Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 7 of 12 skills and develop much improved feelings of self-worth and self-esteem. Parents with particular skills, such as speaking another language, support the academic curriculum by coming in and speaking to the children in other languages.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Routine health care needs are predominantly met by parents/carers as students go home at the end of each week. Students have easy access to the excellent medical centre on site with qualified nurses on duty. This means that their complex daily medical needs are met to a high standard, such as gastrostomy feeding and the administration of medication. Strategies to manage and monitor other serious health conditions, such as epilepsy, are considered carefully in consultation with other professionals. Strategies and medication in such cases are under regular review to ensure that each student is receiving the best possible care and support. The school has very good links with local doctors surgeries and staff are suitably trained in paediatric first aid. Healthy living is encouraged and this is provided not only by ensuring students have access to health care, but by encouraging exercise and a healthy diet. All individual dietary needs are

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

catered for with specialised menus and meals. Students say they enjoy the meals and their own choice is met, for example choosing to be vegetarian.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

The school have established excellent programmes of on-site support with all staff fully embracing and implementing the principles of conductive education. Qualified staff across the whole school, including health, education and care staff, ensure that students receive expert intervention and support in line with the school's Statement of Principles and practice. This includes the use of the most up-to-date technology and specialist equipment to meet the individual needs of the students. This means that the needs of students are met to an outstanding level and there is a culture of excellence.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Residential accommodation is of an excellent standard. Bedrooms and communal areas are comfortable and maintained to a very high standard. Cleanliness and hygiene standards are outstanding. Students are able to personalise their rooms and appear very comfortable in the homely living environment.

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Quality of residential provision and care Outstanding

Students are able to contact families and others who are important to them using their unique method of communication. Severe communication difficulties are not a barrier to contact. For example, some students are encouraged to contact their families using their voice output communication aid. Parents rank the communication with the school as ‘excellent’ and say they can always speak to the right person, who always has sufficient time to discuss any issues with them. The highly effective communication between parents and the school provides students with a consistent approach that reflects their individual needs.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The arrangements for students’ safety are outstanding. Effective management and adherence to robust policies ensure all are protected and supported. The culture embedded in the home ensures that the children benefit from a robust and rigorous approach which treats the children's emotional and physical safety as paramount. There is excellent provision for ensuring young people are protected from the risks of harm without limiting their opportunities to engage fully in school life. The extreme vulnerabilities of the students are understood by all members of staff and this ensures that their approach to ensuring their safety is conscientious and rigorous.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Robust recruitment procedures are effectively implemented, which ensures that only adults who have been checked as being appropriate to work with children are employed.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

The environment is subject to stringent checks and assessments. All specialist equipment is checked regularly and occupational therapists assess each student's needs to ensure the use of the equipment is appropriate and safe. The school has been subject to a recent inspection by the Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 8 of 12 fire service and there are no shortfalls.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Staff receive regular training in safeguarding and have a sound understanding of their roles and responsibilities in responding to actual or potential abuse. Dedicated safeguarding advisors, across a range of disciplines within the school, are readily available for advice. They take the lead on any safeguarding issues. This includes any concerns not connected with the school that come to the attention of staff. Any incidents are passed on to the local safeguarding team. Detailed records are maintained if there are any incidents which occur. These clearly show how the situation has been resolved and how the student's safety has been ensured. However, written records do not always include body maps. This has no current impact on students. Students have a strong sense of their own safety and well-being in this setting. Students spoken to say that they feel very safe and secure staying in the residential provision.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

Students are happy and extremely well cared for in the school. Considerable attention is given to ensure that any needs arising out of their emotional well-being are met to a high standard. Students feel safe, secure and well cared for. They are able to make their needs known without resorting to any challenging behaviours. There is no need for the use of any sanctions or any kind of physical intervention. Since the last inspection the school has reviewed the need for specialist behaviour management training. The standard of behaviour is outstanding and of a level where senior management have decided that formal behaviour management training for staff, in the use of physical intervention, is no longer required. Systems are in place, required by national minimum standards, to record, monitor and analyse such interventions should they ever occur in the future.

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Residential pupils’ safety Outstanding

There are robust procedures in place and excellent training in the event of a student going missing or any bullying issues. However, these are not issues in the school.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The management and leadership of the school is outstanding. The school is very effectively managed and monitored. Senior staff are determined that students have the best possible care using conductive education techniques as detailed in the school's Statement of Principles and practice.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

Students benefit from consistent and excellent standards of care from a professional and enthusiastic staff team. The staff's enthusiasm is stimulated by the exceptional leadership from the management team. Their energy is channelled by encouraging them to take responsibility for their own learning, for example, by gaining formal qualifications in conductive education. Excellent staffing ratios and deployment, as well as an excellent retention record, provide students with continuity in their care and support. Staff are well supported themselves and receive regular supervision and training to maintain an excellence in the delivery of their support and guidance to students. Parents speak most positively of the staff, in particular their professionalism and understanding of their child's unique needs. They have every confidence in the school meeting the individual needs of their child and their child developing to their utmost

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The school has an independent visitor. Students talk to the visitor about their experience of boarding for example about activities, food and relationships with staff. This information is given to the senior management team and is used to look at current issues and for future development.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

Students benefit from living in accommodation with clear routines and boundaries. Diverse needs are catered for sensitively and this results in fair and equal treatment for all students. Students develop an understanding and empathy for others, for example by engaging in fund raising activities. Staff ensure that students are able to make friends in their peer group, for example by Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 9 of 12 teaching students how to communicate with their friends who are using voice output communication aids. Disability is not a barrier for anyone within the school, for example individuals who have their own physical mobility challenges are welcomed as volunteers and support provided with transport to and from the school.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

There is excellent communication with parents on a regular basis as well as a formal quality assurance system in place. Students and parents are aware of how to complain if they are dissatisfied with any part of the service they are receiving. A full complaints system is in place if there should be a need for parents to complain. The number of complaints is small and these are fully addressed. The complainant is able to comment on the outcome and whether they are satisfied with it. There have been no complaints from students since the last inspection.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

The principal reports on the running of the school and residential accommodation on an annual basis. This allows the governors to assess how well the school is running and what developments and changes need to happen in the coming year. Developments are identified such as the need to invest in 'accessible desktop' hardware and software technology. This allows students to access the digital world, for example the internet and messaging services, without the need for any outside support or intervention. A pilot scheme is being trialled whereby each student has hardware and software tailored to meet their individual needs. Conductive education underpins their on-going development to use the technology, for example by using head switches.

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Leadership and management of the residential provision Outstanding

All information is appropriately and safely stored to ensure that confidentiality of records is maintained. Records are thorough and give a good account of each student's time, experience and progress made at the school. Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 10 of 12

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Grade Judgement Description

Grade 1 Outstanding A school which provides an exceptional quality of care and significantly exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 2 Good A school which provides a high quality of care that exceeds minimum requirements. Grade 3 Adequate A school which meets minimum requirements but needs to improve the quality of care it provides. Grade 4 Inadequate A school where minimum requirements are not met and the quality of care has serious weaknesses. Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 11 of 12

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School details

Unique reference number 135814 Social care unique reference number SC014584 DfE registration number 938/7023

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School details

This inspection was carried out under the Children Act 1989, as amended by the Care Standards Act 2000, having regard to the national minimum standards for residential special schools.

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School details

Type of school Non maintained Number of boarders on roll 20 Gender of boarders Mixed Age range of boarders 3 to 19 Headteacher Mrs Catherine Allison Date of previous boarding inspection 28/06/2011 Telephone number 01403 782294 Email address ingfield.manor@scope.org.uk Inspection Report Ingfield Manor School, 05/03/2013 Page 12 of 12 guidance ‘raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted', which is available from Ofsted’s website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk .

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School details

You can use Parent View to give Ofsted your opinion on your child’s school. Ofsted will use the information parents and carers provide when deciding which schools to inspect and when and as part of the inspection.

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School details

You can also use Parent View to find out what other parents and carers think about schools in England. You can visit www.parentview.ofsted.gov.uk , or look for the link on the main Ofsted website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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School details

achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, work-based learning and skills training, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children’s services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. Further copies of this report are obtainable from the school. Under the Education Act 2005, the school must provide a copy of this report free of charge to certain categories of people. A charge not exceeding the full cost of reproduction may be made for any other copies supplied. If you would like a copy of this document in a different format, such as large print or Braille,

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School details

please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . You may copy all or parts of this document for non-commercial educational purposes, as long as you give details of the source and date of publication and do not alter the information in any way. To receive regular email alerts about new publications, including survey reports and school inspection reports, please visit our website and go to ‘Subscribe’.

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School details

T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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